The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-10-16


to 102 degrees and she died on Sunday
i'll the greatest agony.
AS | left the church to-day her little
niece, Aimee, with her eyes full of tears,
looked wistfully at the hearse and muir
INJURED, as if in contrast with the scene
before her, the words, "As pretty as q
picture"
The eastern papers bring US fuller in
telligence of the little bout in Nash
vile church between Emma Abbott and
the discounted minister. AS one reads
it he can not forbear Wishing to pat the
singer on her wealth OF shoulders. Not
only for her bravery-but for her all
woodward indubitable business
shrewdness. We haven't doubt that
honest little Emma was honestly in
dignant at the accusations against her
profession, and that she gave it to the
parson from the fuiness of her heart.
But she is not the Emma we know of
old if-while she was speaking-there
did not float before her mind visions of
special dispatches to The big newspapers
of flaming black headlines, of bursting
box offices, and Of standing room only.
But all honor to her pluck, ad or no ad.
Here are full particulars:
NASHVILLE, Tenn, October 9, 1887. - A
great sensation has been produced in this
city to-day by scene IN the McKendree
Methodist Episcopal Church, in which Miss
Emma Abbott replied to structures made by
the minister in his sermon upon theatres
aud theatre people.
The McKendree Church is within stone
throw of the new Theatre Vendome, which
has just been completed at a cost of $1OO, 900
and is one of the finest theatres in the coun-
try. twas formally opened during the past
week in the most brilliant manner by the
Emma Abbot Opera Company. The audi
ence, made up of the fashion of the city,
filled the theatre nightly and made the oc-
casion brilliant These events and the fact
that so much money was being expended
doubtless suggested to the Rev w. A. Cand-
Ter, who has lately been installed as pastor
of the McKendree Church, a theme for his
morning discourse. The church is one of
the largest, wealthiest and most influential
in the South. and utterances from its pulpit
have great weight.
MISS ABBOTT WAS THERE.
Miss Abbott is accustomed to attend wor-
| ship wherever she may be each Sabbath
morning, as she is and haslong been pro-
Tossing member of the church. As was
usual with her, she left the hotel this morn.
ing alone, and making her way to the near
est church, passed into the McKendree
edifice, and taking her seat near the door
participated in the services, joining in the
congregational singing. When the dis
course was commenced, Miss Abbott's ears
began to Jingle and her eyes to sparkle with
| indignation at the wholesale denunciation
| of all theatrical people. OF course, the rev.
| efend gentleman in the pulpit was unaware
of the fact that Miss ABBOTT was in his con-
gregation, while she had been as innocently
| ignorant OF the scathing remarks that she
was about to hear. From irreverent jokes
| that served to provoke litter o amusement
| from his hearers, the Rev. Mr.. Gambler pro-
| ceeded to denounce the theatres He
| spoke of the brazen faces In the shop win
dows, confronting all as they walked along
| the streets, and said they were an impure,
| immoral set. He said that in all theatricals
| every word had double meaning, and was
| full of vice. He spoke of the prayers as
offered upon the stage as blasphemy, and
concluded by remarking that the only way
| to purify the stage was to burn down the
theatre.
THE LAST STRAW.
As the reverend gentleman warmed to his
subject the emotions of Miss Abbott grew
intense. Her eyes flashed fire, her bosom
| heaved and her face grew pale with anger
Direct allusion was made to the week of
opera Just past. Said he:-"NoW this show
| that has been going on here (alluding to
| Miss AbOott's opera at this new theatre
IT,
paid high price to hear blasp hemous
prayer on the stage That is the road to
hell ="
Controlling her emotions until the final
word had been said, Miss Emma Abbott rose
in her seat, and, as she never spoke before,
in the presence of that vast audience Yindi-
Gated herself and her profession A, the
first words fell from her lips and attention
was attracted to the simply attired lady in
the pew near the door, astonishment and
ansazement sat upon every countenance.
A SINGING REPLY
The reverend gentleman was dumb
hundreds with her acting as 81 n charm
hundreds with her voice, spoke - calmly
as her emotions would permit replying to
his remarks as follows
81, Emma Abbott have been on the stage
since 1 was years of age, and l have tried
conscientiously to the best of my ability to
do my duty before God at all times and
can defy any one in the whole world to say
one word against my good name. l would
speak of such noble and glorious names as
Jenny Lind, Viardot, Albsni, Parepa Rosa
and other lights of the Stage, who have led
noble and exemplary lives and have de-
voted themselves to doing good deeds and
who have made noble wives and mothers
In regard to prayers being sung in operas
in Mignon or the Bohemian Girl the words
come right from my heart In ali the operas
presented here during the past week there
has not been oae impure or improper allu-
sion, and because one occasionally finds
vice in the pulpit or upon the stage, that is
no reason for such wholesale denunciatioD,
which is entirely filse and utterly uncalled
for"
SHE BROUGHT DOWN THE HOUSE.
Never in the singing OF one OF her most
thrilling arias or most soul stirring scenes
was Miss Abbott accorded such an en-
thusiastic and prolonged burst of applause
as greeted her then and there from that as
sembled cong egation The Endorsement
that came from the nennle nrnXsd with